Everybody wants to be a business big shot. It makes sense. There is plenty of glamour, power, and most importantly, money at the higher ranks. It’s not a simple thing to climb the corporate ladder though. Sometimes you need help. But there are some basic steps you can take on your own to propel yourself into the upper-echelon of prospects.

Earning a degree isn’t simply about obtaining more knowledge. One of the most important things a degree does for you is tell employers what you have to offer. Diploma’s and certificates make you a marketable employee as much as they make you an expert in your field. Of course, there is plenty to learn about the industry you are working in (or potentially working in). But going through the educational process, and earning high marks, lets the business world know that you are capable of handling deadlines, tasks, and difficult situations.

There are other ways of raising your business profile as well. Taking on special projects and even driving up the competition for your services will make you more desirable. We’ll go over a few tips to help you in your journey, but first let’s start with the most obvious way to catapult yourself to the big leagues.

It’s not easy to just go back to school though. You already have work, maybe a family, and other responsibilities. If you haven’t graduated or are newly on the job market, the prospect of going back to college may not sound all that flattering either. The important note to keep in mind is that it will eventually be worth it. If that doesn’t help enough, maybe this will. It’s easier than ever to get ahead thanks to the possibility of getting your online MBA no GMAT.

Forget the commute, the long days at campus, and most of all, that horrible cafeteria lunch. Now you can earn your master’s degree from the comfort of your own home.

Make Yourself in Demand

The best thing you can do when you have a job offer… is go out and get another job offer. This will take some tact, and you’ll want to be careful about how you approach the subject, but letting employers know that you have options is never a bad thing. Juggling multiple offers can even put pressure on companies to set an internal timeline. If they’re sold on you—or even if they’re not but they don’t want to see you walk—having a competing business vie for your services is a good way to drive up your value.

They key to this method is to ensure that each company knows you genuinely want to work for their business. Handling this situation the wrong way can be off-putting to employers and actually help create distance between you and the job you want. Of course, you also should be prepared to accept the position you want on the spot. The purpose of pitting businesses between each other is to make yourself more appealing. But if you have the offer you want on the table, don’t be greedy. Jump at the opportunity.

Say Hello to the New Project Lead

Once you’ve landed your dream job, you’ll want to show initiative. You’ll likely be tasked with everyday responsibilities that you’ll need to handle, but if you can find some free time around those, it’s a good idea to try and spot weakness in the company. Once you find such spots, an opportunity to fix them is in play. Showing that you have the prowess to find an area where you can improve the company, and then going out and actually acting upon it, will put you on the fast track to a promotion.

Practicing any or all of these ways to build your business profile is a good bet to land you the job you’ve always wanted. So, what are you waiting for?